Share this article

A blue diamond weighing 12.03 carats and
described by experts as internally flawless could sell for a record $55 million when it goes up for auction in Geneva in several weeks, Sotheby's
said on Thursday.

The Blue Moon diamond, discovered in South Africa in January last year, will be exhibited in Hong Kong, London and New York before it goes under hammer in Geneva on November 11th.

"The Blue Moon diamond is a simply sensational stone of perfect colour and purity," David Bennett, who heads Sotheby's international jewellery division, said in a statement.

He added that the immense hype which followed the stone's discovery "has now been proven to have been totally justified."

The Gemological Institute of America previously declared the Blue Moon to be "internally flawless".

Categorized as a fancy vivid blue diamond, the Blue Moon is the largest cushion-shaped stone in that category to ever appear at auction.

Sotheby's put its estimated sale price between $35-$55 million which, at the higher end, would mark a record for any diamond sale.

In November 2010, a 24.78 carats pink diamond — known as the Graff Pink — sold in Geneva for just over $46 million.

The record sale for a blue diamond so far came in November last year, when a 9.75-carat gem fetched $32.6 million at an auction in New York.

Member comments

From our sponsors

London has always had a certain allure that pulls in entrepreneurs from near and far. As one of the world's most connected cities, a top financial centre and a multicultural melting pot, countless professionals from Europe and beyond are drawn to London like moths to a flame.